Grave-guard



(No Model.)

' A. GENT.

W GRAVE GUARD. v Patented May 16, 1882.

.w%m6.m. fr aven er. Q/M/ML UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED GENT, OF SHERMAN, TEXAS.

GRAVE-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,859, dated May 16, 1882.

Application filed December 29, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, ALFRED GENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sherman, 1n the county of Grayson and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Grave-Guard, of which the following is a specification.

Prior to the time of my invention it has been common to make flat slabs having perforations around their borders to receive fence posts or panels and slits at the head and foot to receive the grave-stones. It was also common to make the coping around the grave with longitudinal grooves for holding water which fed the plants placed at different points in the coping.

The object of my invention is to combine the effects produced by the above-described devices; and to that end the nature of it consists of parts and combination of parts, all as will hereinafter he explained and claimed.

Referring to thedrawings, Figure 1 represen ts a perspective view of the coping or frame which ineloses the mound; Fig. 2, a transverse section on line w, Fig.1, and similar section of one of the panels; and Fig. 3, aside elevation, showing two panels seated in the coping or frame-work.

A represents the coping or frame-work; B, the panels. The coping is preferably rectangular in shape, having, however, its upper corners chamfered to present an ornamental appearance. In the upper side are formed longitudinal slits a, which may be of any preferred shape, their object being to receive the tongue on panels B.

Panel B consists of an upper ornamental part, 0, and a tongue, 0, which sits within the groove or slit (4. Upon the base and face of part c is a projection, 0 having its upper side curved to form a molding, which abuts against and registers with the molding upon the next panel. The under side is flat and rests upon the top of the frame-work or coping, and holds the panels at a certain elevation, no matter what the length of the tongue may be, provided it is not longer than the groove is deep.

This projection is to a great extent necessary, as without'it the panels would present an uneven appearance, whereas when it is used they are all of the same height, and each part corresponds to and fits the same part upon the next piece. The tongue is smaller than the wid th of the slit. The outer face is on the same plane as the face of the ornamental part of the panel, while theinner face slopes downwardly and outwardly, so that sand and cement, or cement alone, can be. placed between theinner face of the tongue and rear wall of the groove and form a wed ge-like body between theton gue and inner wall of the groove.

Iain aware that monuments have been made with a tongue and flanges on each side of the tongue to support the monument when the tongue has been inserted in the groove formed in the base. It is obvious that such a construction would be too costly for my purpose, as the fitting necessary to make all the flanges fit evenly upon the base would requirea great deal of skill and labor. Besides, if a cement were used, the tongue inserted in the cement would force the latter out between the flanges and base, leaving, where marble is used, an unsightly seam, whereas I make the tongue of a wedgeshape, and provide only one flange, which rests upon the front edge of the groove, leaving a space behind, so that cement can be poured in and around the tongue instead of inserting the tongue in the cement. Therefore What I claim asnew is-- A grave-guard consisting of panels having a flange upon their front and a wedge-shaped tongue projecting downwardly into a groove, and of a base having a groove of greater width than the tongue, which is held in said: groove by cement inserted from the rear of the panel, all combinedand arranged for the purpose set forth.

ALFRED GENT. 

